Module 3 Packet GE 2: Readings in Philippine History – Historical Revisionism, Martial Law, and EDSA Revolution (Weeks 6 & 7)

Key concepts:
- Historical Revisionism (Lesson 1): Reinterpreting past events or presenting new narratives based on newly discovered facts; reconstructing the past to update knowledge; adheres to academic research norms: establish facts, corroborate viewpoints, produce impartial interpretations. Source: Guiang (2022).
- Legitimate revisionism: Re-examination of existing historical knowledge with careful methodology; occurs when new perspectives and evidence come to light. Source: Candelaria, Alporha & Kunting (2021).
- Illegitimate revisionism / historical negationism: Reinterpretation carried out with harmful intent to spread misinformation, defame, or promote a specific agenda. Described as historical distortion by Prof. Xiao in the referenced video.
Quotations to note:
- CJ Sereno: historical denialism is not a mere alternative reading of reality; it is a reading of an alternative reality that denies history as it happened.

Core questions:
- 1) What is Martial Law?
- 2) Was the enactment of Martial Law justified?
- 3) What are the issues in connection with Martial Law?
Key concept: Martial Law involves the substitution of civilian authority with military authority. It can include:
- Curfews
- Use of military tribunals to judge civilians
- Suspension of the right to habeas corpus (protects individuals from unlawful imprisonment). Note: habeas corpus is suspended during crises to expedite legal processes.
Marcos’s stated reasons for declaring Martial Law:
- Claimed national security threat due to the resurgence of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in 1968.
- Growing support for the CPP’s military wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), especially in Tarlac and other areas.
- An assassination attempt on then Minister of Defense Juan Ponce Enrile provided a justification for the declaration, which occurred the day after the incident.
- Declared a state of insurgency in Mindanao due to conflicts between Muslims and Christians, seen as a threat to national security.
Context about Mindanao: Muslims were fighting to protect ancestral lands from Christian migrants; the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was formed in Malaysia and campaigned for autonomy of Mindanao from the national government. (Source cited in module: philippine-history.org)
Note on completeness: The transcript ends mid-sentence regarding the MNLF, indicating the source text is truncated at that point.

The EDSA People Power Revolution occurred on February 25, 1986. It was a bloodless uprising that demonstrated the power of democracy and the people’s ability to force political change through demonstrations and prayer.
Significance: It led to the ousting of a dictator and served as a powerful example of collective action and democratic transition in Philippine history.
Cited reflections: Garcia (2018) notes the revolution’s importance and its demonstration of nonviolent mass mobilization.